4:57pm UK, Thursday October 30, 2003

A hearse overturned on a busy German motorway, tipping a coffin - and contents - onto the road.

The accident happened near Duisburg after the driver of the hearse apparently nodded off on a motorway flyover.

He lost control of the vehicle which overturned.

The coffin, which was not sealed, fell out and broke up on impact with the ground, disgorging the body.

A bag of coffin nails also tumbled out and was strewn over the road.

The highway was sealed off for about an hour, causing traffic to queue up for four miles.